2 cups unsalted butter; 4 US sticks, 16 oz (450 grams)
1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar 300 grams; measure before creaming with the softened butter
1 14-ounce can full-fat sweetened condensed milk 395 grams; use the entire can at room temperature. Do not use evaporated milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 15 ml
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 680 grams
4 teaspoons baking powder 16 grams; whisk evenly into the flour
1 teaspoon table salt 6 grams; whisk evenly into the flour and baking powder
Instructions
Line 2 to 4 large rimmed half-sheet baking pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Position an oven rack in the middle and preheat to 350°F (180°C) using conventional heat, or 325°F (160°C) using convection. Allow at least 20 minutes of preheating before the first tray goes into the oven.
Place the softened butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or use a large bowl and electric hand mixer. Beat on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bowl once or twice, until the mixture is pale, smooth, and noticeably fluffy. The butter must be softened but not melted.
Add the entire room-temperature can of sweetened condensed milk and the vanilla extract. Beat on low-to-medium speed for approximately 1 minute, scraping the bowl, until the mixture is smooth and fully combined.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and table salt until evenly distributed.
Add the dry mixture to the butter-and-condensed-milk mixture in three equal additions. Mix on low speed after each addition until barely incorporated. Stop while faint flour streaks remain, then finish folding with a spatula or lightly kneading for 3 to 4 gentle turns until the dough is soft, cohesive, and non-sticky. Avoid prolonged mixing once the flour has been incorporated.
Portion the dough into approximately 1 1/2-tablespoon (38-gram) pieces. Roll each portion between your palms into a smooth ball approximately 1 1/4 inches (3 centimeters) across. Arrange 12 to 16 balls on each prepared half-sheet pan, leaving approximately 1 1/2 inches (4 centimeters) between portions on all sides.
Lightly flour the tines of a dinner fork if the dough sticks. Gently press each ball to approximately 3/8 inch (1 centimeter) thick, leaving the traditional fork marks on top. Refrigerate the portioned trays for 15 minutes while the oven finishes preheating. Keep any trays waiting to bake chilled.
Bake one tray at a time on the middle rack for 18 to 20 minutes at 350°F (180°C) conventional or 325°F (160°C) convection. Begin checking at 18 minutes. The bottom rims and outer edges should be light golden brown, while the tops remain pale cream to very pale gold with a dry, matte appearance. A gentle tap at the center should leave no wet indentation, and the outer edges should feel firm. Do not wait for deeply browned tops.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and leave the biscuits undisturbed on the hot pan for 5 minutes. Their centers may still feel slightly soft when first removed; the short tray rest allows them to firm before handling.
Transfer the biscuits carefully to a wire cooling rack and cool for at least 10 additional minutes. They should finish setting with tender centers and lightly crisp edges. Repeat the baking and cooling process for the remaining chilled trays, allowing an additional 40 to 60 minutes of oven time for the rest of the full batch.
Notes
Yield: 48 individual biscuits, approximately 38 g each. One biscuit is one serving.
The 70-minute total covers 20 minutes of preparation, 15 minutes of shaped-dough chilling, 20 minutes of baking for the first tray, and 15 minutes of cooling. Baking all trays sequentially requires approximately 40–60 additional minutes of oven time.
Use cool room-temperature butter at approximately 65–68°F (18–20°C). It should be softened but not greasy or melted.
Use the entire 14-ounce (395 g) can of sweetened condensed milk. Evaporated milk is not an interchangeable substitute.
Measure flour carefully. Weighing 680 g is recommended. If using cups, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it.
For salted butter, use 450 g and reduce table salt to ¼ teaspoon (1.5 g).
Light sweetened condensed milk may replace the full-fat version in the same 395 g quantity, with a slightly less rich result.
High-fat block baking margarine may replace the 450 g butter, with less butter flavor.
For chocolate chip biscuits, fold in 1½–2 cups (250–340 g) chocolate chips at the end of mixing. The biscuits may spread slightly more.
For rolled cutouts, roll the dough to ¼ inch (7 mm), chill for 1 hour, and bake for 15–20 minutes. Allow approximately 3 mm of edge expansion.
For thicker bakery-style biscuits, use 3 tablespoons of dough per portion, chill for 30 minutes, and bake for 25–30 minutes.
Store completely cooled biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 weeks.
Freeze shaped, unbaked portions for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen at 350°F (180°C) in a conventional oven, allowing approximately 1–3 extra minutes and checking the approved doneness cues.
